Page 66 of A Dance Macabre

“What’s wrong?” Constantine says slowly, but I can’t look her in the eye, let alone Gemini.

I focus on Wolfgang, who shoots me a cautious glare.

“What wasthat?” Gemini presses, capping the marker before throwing it on the table.

“Nothing,” Wolfgang answers firmly, smoothing his hand over his perfectly coiffed hair in a feeble attempt to seem unbothered.

I stop in my tracks, chewing on my lip, making the mistake of finding Gemini’s inquiring gaze. His power might not work on me, but my resolve is nothing but a house of cards right now.

“Mercy,” I hear Wolfgang say in warning, but I can’t look away from Gemini.

I feel fissured, like a cracked dam ready to burst.

“We’ve broken a divine law,” I blurt out.

Wolfgang curses. Constantine’s mouth opens in surprise, muttering under her breath, “The flowers worked.” While Gemini leans back in his chair, crossing his arms and grinning like he just heard the best piece of gossip.

There’s a long beat of silence, and I sit down in defeat beside Wolfgang before Gemini speaks. “Considering you both aren’t currently being wiped from the history records, I take it you heathens have been fornicating.” His tone is mocking butsomehow coated with just enough sweetness to make his words bearable to swallow.

I peer over to Wolfgang for the first time since I divulged our secret, the broad strokes of his face tense but resolute. “Yes,” he answers solemnly, and sudden relief washes over me hearing him admit it.

I expect both Gemini and Constantine to express concern, instead, they share a conspiratorial look, and Constantine bursts into giggles, hiding half her face with her hands.

“Tinny,” Wolfgang says carefully, a muscle feathering in his jaw. “I don’t care if you can’t feel pain, I’ll break your other leg just to spite you.”

This somehow just makes her laugh even more, her eyes crinkling while Gemini barely contains his mirth beside her.

“We have most certainly co-signed our downfall, and you both find itamusing?” I ask incredulously.

“Please, Mercy,” Gemini responds placatingly. “Is that really what you think?”

I glance over to Wolfgang, his expression similar to how I feel: Confused.

“What are you implying, Foley,” Wolfgang asks, his words dripping with icy contempt.

“What hemeans,” Constantine answers for Gemini as she twirls her finger around a strand of blonde hair. “Do you not surmise this was the purpose all along?”

My breathing turns shallow, her implication slowly washing over me.

“Did you really presume,” Gemini starts again, leaning his elbows on the table between us, “that the gods chose for you two to co-ruleplatonically?”

He says the last word with such disgust that I almost begin to maniacally laugh.

“Obviously,” Constantine adds with a small roll of her eyes, “this was the plan all along.”

Wolfgang stands up, knocking his chair over as if incapable of managing his reaction to what our friends are hypothesizing. Quickly, he leans down to pick it up and slams the chair back on its legs, sitting back down without saying a word.

“But—” My voice cracks, and I swallow the hard lump in my throat before continuing, “I did this. It wasn’t our gods' decision, this only happened because of whatIdid.”

Gemini stays silent as he studies me, his expression thoughtful. Then he pushes out a dry chuckle. “Sunt superis sua iura,” he says slowly, deliberately pronouncing every syllable.

The gods have their own laws.

He points a ringed finger at me then at Wolfgang. “If you think yourillusionedfree will has not already been preordained, love, then you’re not as cunning as I thought you were.”

I’m frozen in my seat, any sort of reply lost inside the bubbling heat of affront deep in the pit of my stomach.

“I—” Wolfgang begins to speak but quickly snaps his mouth shut when the sound of footsteps approaches the door.

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